diff --git a/gtk/src/gtk_display.cpp b/gtk/src/gtk_display.cpp
index d702ef35..36ea7779 100644
--- a/gtk/src/gtk_display.cpp
+++ b/gtk/src/gtk_display.cpp
@@ -1897,3 +1897,10 @@ S9xInitDisplay (int argc, char **argv)
     S9xCustomDisplayString = S9xGTKDisplayString;
 }
 
+bool
+S9xDisplayDriverIsReady ()
+{
+    if (!driver)
+        return false;
+    return driver->is_ready ();
+}
diff --git a/gtk/src/gtk_display.h b/gtk/src/gtk_display.h
index 6e9f25c0..07178946 100644
--- a/gtk/src/gtk_display.h
+++ b/gtk/src/gtk_display.h
@@ -132,5 +132,6 @@ void S9xDisplayReconfigure ();
 void S9xQueryDrivers ();
 
 S9xDisplayDriver *S9xDisplayGetDriver ();
+bool S9xDisplayDriverIsReady ();
 
 #endif /* __GTK_DISPLAY_H */
diff --git a/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver.h b/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver.h
index 28434d98..40ef760b 100644
--- a/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver.h
+++ b/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ class S9xDisplayDriver
         virtual void push_buffer (uint16 *src) = 0;
         virtual void *get_parameters () = 0;
         virtual void save (const char *filename) = 0;
+        virtual bool is_ready () = 0;
 
         /* Namespaced sizing constants */
         static const int image_width = 1024;
diff --git a/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_gtk.h b/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_gtk.h
index d2c7ca5a..bf32f57b 100644
--- a/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_gtk.h
+++ b/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_gtk.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class S9xGTKDisplayDriver : public S9xDisplayDriver
         void push_buffer (uint16 *src);
         void *get_parameters () { return NULL; }
         void save (const char *filename) { }
+        bool is_ready () { return true; }
 
     private:
         void clear ();
diff --git a/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_opengl.cpp b/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_opengl.cpp
index eeb20a22..d069735e 100644
--- a/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_opengl.cpp
+++ b/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_opengl.cpp
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ S9xOpenGLDisplayDriver::S9xOpenGLDisplayDriver (Snes9xWindow *window,
     this->window = window;
     this->config = config;
     this->drawing_area = GTK_WIDGET (window->drawing_area);
+    fence = NULL;
 }
 
 void S9xOpenGLDisplayDriver::update (int width, int height, int yoffset)
@@ -645,10 +646,9 @@ void S9xOpenGLDisplayDriver::swap_buffers ()
     {
         if (fences)
         {
-            GLsync fence = glFenceSync (GL_SYNC_GPU_COMMANDS_COMPLETE, 0);
-            usleep (0);
-            glClientWaitSync (fence, GL_SYNC_FLUSH_COMMANDS_BIT, 100000000);
-            glDeleteSync (fence);
+            if (fence)
+                glDeleteSync (fence);
+            fence = glFenceSync (GL_SYNC_GPU_COMMANDS_COMPLETE, 0);
         }
         else
         {
@@ -716,3 +716,16 @@ int S9xOpenGLDisplayDriver::query_availability ()
 
     return 0;
 }
+
+bool S9xOpenGLDisplayDriver::is_ready ()
+{
+    if (!fence)
+        return true;
+
+    if (glClientWaitSync (fence, GL_SYNC_FLUSH_COMMANDS_BIT, 0) == GL_TIMEOUT_EXPIRED)
+        return false;
+
+    glDeleteSync (fence);
+    fence = NULL;
+    return true;
+}
diff --git a/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_opengl.h b/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_opengl.h
index d6696efb..4beb66e5 100644
--- a/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_opengl.h
+++ b/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_opengl.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class S9xOpenGLDisplayDriver : public S9xDisplayDriver
         void *get_parameters ();
         void save (const char *filename);
         static int query_availability ();
+        bool is_ready ();
 
     private:
         int opengl_defaults ();
@@ -74,6 +75,8 @@ class S9xOpenGLDisplayDriver : public S9xDisplayDriver
 
         OpenGLContext     *context;
 
+        GLsync            fence;
+
 #ifdef GDK_WINDOWING_X11
         GTKGLXContext     glx;
 #endif
diff --git a/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_xv.h b/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_xv.h
index b1ea0c27..5660ee82 100644
--- a/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_xv.h
+++ b/gtk/src/gtk_display_driver_xv.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class S9xXVDisplayDriver : public S9xDisplayDriver
         void *get_parameters () { return NULL; }
         void save (const char *filename) { }
         static int query_availability ();
+        bool is_ready () { return true; }
 
     private:
         void clear ();
diff --git a/gtk/src/gtk_s9x.cpp b/gtk/src/gtk_s9x.cpp
index 0a9cf660..a287566e 100644
--- a/gtk/src/gtk_s9x.cpp
+++ b/gtk/src/gtk_s9x.cpp
@@ -308,9 +308,13 @@ gboolean S9xIdleFunc (gpointer data)
     }
 
     S9xCheckPointerTimer ();
-    S9xThrottle ();
     S9xProcessEvents (TRUE);
 
+    if (!S9xDisplayDriverIsReady ())
+        return TRUE;
+
+    S9xThrottle ();
+
     if (!S9xNetplayPush ())
     {
         if(Settings.Rewinding)